The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 17.0505 Friday, 26 May 2006
[1] From: Carol Barton <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 25 May 2006 10:46:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subj: Re: SHK 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_
[2] From: Scott Sharplin <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 25 May 2006 17:48:31 -0600
Subj: Re: SHK 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_?
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: Carol Barton <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 25 May 2006 10:46:43 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_?
Comment: Re: SHK 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_?
Noel, I like Hardy's (ague) solution. I think also that if we recognize
the Fool as Lear's first advisor (a fool leading a madman who hasn't yet
made his madness obvious) it's possible to cast him as extraneous
personnel, simply wandering off (like Lear's mind) without any
particular motive--"banished" benignly because he, like Lear's other two
best advisors (Kent and Cordelia--who will suffer more violent
dismissals) is no longer useful to the king in Lear's own misjudging mind.
I think if I were playing the Fool, I would adopt an expression of
extreme sadness, maybe even an obvious tear, and walk backwards, away.
Best to all,
Carol Barton
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Scott Sharplin <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Thursday, 25 May 2006 17:48:31 -0600
Subject: 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_?
Comment: Re: SHK 17.0497 What happens to the Fool in _Lear_?
In the production of Lear I recently directed, the actress playing the
Fool acquired a shiver and a cough during the storm scenes, leading
informed members of the audience to suspect that she would be too weak
to follow Lear upon his exit in 3.6.
Indeed, this was the case, and she lingered upstage during Edgar's
soliloquy, fighting for breath. However, just before Edgar exited (and
the intermission began), he paused and went to collect the Fool in his
arms, carrying her off with him. I felt this was a nice action to
support his spoken discovery, i.e. that he had recently learned to
empathize with others.
The Fool then disappeared (convalescing somewhere, presumably) until the
very final moments of the play. At this point, Lear has died, and
Albany, Edgar etc. proceed offstage, leaving the bodies. Kent lingers
this time, and grabs a knife (the "smoking" one the Gentleman brought
in). He clearly intends to kill himself, following up on the implication
of suicide in "I have a journey, sir, shortly to go."
Re-enter the Fool, first noticing Lear (and Cordelia's) death, and then
stepping downstage to intercede with Kent's suicide. By sharing their
pain, the two of them find the strength to carry on, and exit the stage
together.
It sounds a bit trite when I write it out, but I think it made for a
very potent final image. Audiences were pleased to see the Fool again
one more time, especially after the uncertainty of the line, "And my
poor Fool is hanged."
(As I've said before, I don't think it's worth giving Lear much credence
when he speaks this line. It comes just after he has declared Kent "dead
and rotten," so it's fair to say the king has thoroughly lost track of
who is dead and who's alive.)
Scott Sharplin
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